PPP will contest Moga bypoll: Manpreet

Former finance minister and People's Party of Punjab (PPP) president Manpreet Singh Badal has said the Sanjha Morcha has not received any response from Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Capt Amarinder Singh regarding withdrawal of PPP candidate from the Moga byelection.

The PPP president said Sanjha Morcha, which is an amalgam of PPP, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (CPM) and SAD (Longowal), had already announced Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal as candidate.

Addressing a workers' meeting on Friday, Manpreet said there is a no question of withdrawing PPP candidate from the poll battle. A few days back, the PPCC chief had asked the Sanjha Morcha constituent, PPP, to withdraw its candidate from the Moga byelection. The Moga seat had fallen vacant after Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain resigned from the party and joined Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

"We are confident of a better performance in the Moga bypoll and will contest on the issue of corruption-free administration in the state. The SAD and Congress had defamed the rich culture of Punjab and both parties have demolished democracy," Manpreet added.

The PPP has divided Moga constituency into 14 zones and the party will start its election campaign from Bukkanwala village on January 26 and all senior Sanjha Morcha leaders will address public meetings. "People are ready to teach a lesson to Jain who has cheated more than 50,000 voters of Moga constituency," said Manpreet.